Korishou
by Lacertae
Summary: Shikamaru and Temari are engaged to be married. The wedding isn't far off, and neither of them seem to be having second thoughts, until the bachelor party happens. Shikamaru finds himself waking up next to someone unexpected. ShikaxKank
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** Sadly,I only own my OC(s) and the twists and turns along the way.

**This is a ShikamaruxKankuro fic told from Shikamaru's POV. If one does not like yaoi, feel free to leave.  
The title of this story means **Obsession **in Japanese.**

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_**Korishou**_

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_Prologue_

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_Fingers brushed along my spine. I felt a hand drape across my waist. A smile tugged at my lips. The bachelor party had been wild and crazy—it lasted from dusk to dawn. It was the evening after, and I still felt the hangover. _

_Turning onto my back, I folded my arms behind my head. I yawned and glanced at the person next to me. Her body was hidden beneath the cream-colored hotel room sheets. Temari told me to have a good time, was the woman next to me an acceptable "good time"?_

_I nudged the woman in the ribs, and I heard her moving around. As she sat up, the sheets fell from her head. I fell out of bed._

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Author Rant

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This story is basically about going against the norm. It's about not being afraid to speak up and admit that not everyone is alike. Some people were just born crooked.

I will say that this is a yaoi fic, but I do not intend on writing smut. I write love, not smut. This is a short introduction to the story, I ask that people give the first chapter a chance. I think it's rather funny, but I think a lot of things are funny. Lol.

Feedback -REVIEWS- are always loverly!

Ja ne.


	2. Unspoken

**Disclaimer: **Sadly, I only own my OC(s) and the twists and turns along the way. :(

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**_Unspoken_**

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I grabbed at the comforter to cover myself from those dark eyes. If Temari were pleased beforehand, she was going to be thrilled.

"Kankuro?!" He turned towards me with his foggy eyes.

"Shikamaru, what the hell are you doing?" He smiled a mocking grin as I scrambled to my feet.

"This isn't funny," I sighed as I grabbed my clothes from over the lampshade.

"It's not like we did anything. We probably just passed out like that," he shrugged and reached for unopened beer.

"You drunk," I frowned and pulled on my pants. "I slept with my fiance's brother," I thought over and over as I tugged on my fishnet shirt.

I used more energy in the five minutes it took me to dress than I'd ever used in my daily life. I knew when I got back to the Kazekage's tower, Temari would be there. I was eighteen years old, and I was going to die. Some woman was going to kick my ass.

"Shit!" He pulled the sheet around his waist and pointed an angry finger at me. "What the hell did you do? I'm naked!" He began his own race to get dressed.

"Like I forced myself on you," I muttered, having remembered some part of the night before.

"I am not gay. I have a girlfriend! Shit, Koito is going to kill me!" He growled as he tried to straighten his messy hair.

"What a drag. Hold still," I sighed and smoothed his hair down.

"This never happened," he said in a threatening way.

"Fine." I held my hair tie between my lips and pulled my hair back.

"Temari is lucky to have you," he said to fill the awkward silence.

"Troublesome woman," I said aloud as I imagined her beating me to a bloody pulp.

As we walked out of the apartment, neither of us spoke. I could see him out of the corner of my eye as he took quick glances at me. The elevator bell sounded and the doors opened.

An old woman separated us as the elevator moved from the ninth floor to the main lobby. Once the woman got out on the third floor, I sighed. Someone should have said something. I had to break the awkward silence.

"You're the best man at the wedding," I told him as I shoved my hands into the pockets of my pants.

"We still wearing black tux?" I nodded.

The elevator bell sounded; the doors opened to the bright lobby. Kankuro swore and stared at the floor as he shoved his way through the crowd. I glared up at the lights and shielded my eyes with my hand.

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_Author Rant_

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_I'm taking a lot of chances by posting this story. Shikamaru and Kankuro aren't exactly the most well-known of couples, but I tried to come up with something out of the ordinary for a story. I tried to keep the characters in character as much as possible, hopefully I did well. Perhaps someone will tell me in a review?_

_As stated in the story, Shikamaru is eighteen years old. Kankuro is twenty years old. Temari is twenty-one years old. Of course, Gaara is eighteen as well. Now that it's all clear, moving on!_

_Next Chapter**: Whipped**_

_Reviews are loverly!_

_Ja ne._


	3. Whipped

.**Disclaimer: **I only own my OC(s) and the twists and turns along the way. :(

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**_Whipped_**

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I plopped onto the sofa in the living room. I could hear Ino's big mouth as she and Temari discussed a main color theme for the wedding. The door to the cellar was open just a crack, and I heard Kankuro hammering.

"What a drag," I frowned and stared up at the ceiling.

"Where have you been?" Gaara sat down in a chair across from me, his eyes drooping slightly from his own hangover.

"Hotel. I passed out," I said as I lay my arm over my eyes.

"Kankuro was gone all day, too." I peeked around my arm at him—his pale orbs were on me.

"I didn't see him," I lied. "You still can't make it to the wedding?" Bored and anxious, I sat up on the couch.

"I have to be in Konoha for the Chuunin Exams." The Genin were hopeless that year.

"It's late, aren't you tired?" Gaara had a flicker of amusement in his eyes, and a slow smile crept across his face.

"Goodnight," he resigned and left me on the couch.

I watched the edge of his maroon coat as he walked away. It moved with the freedom of a leaf on the breeze. He looked good.

"Ugh!" I groaned and put a hand to my head.

"Maybe if you weren't acting like an ass at your bachelor party, you wouldn't have a hangover," Temari said as she stood over me with a hand on her hip.

"Not now, woman," I muttered and pretended to be watching television.

"What was that?" She gave me a hard look, and my eyes widened.

"I'm going to go see Kankuro," I said and slipped around her.

"You can't avoid the wedding planning forever!" She shouted after me.

The cellar door creaked as I opened it and closed it. I cringed as the stairs creaked and groaned under my weight—the stairs were old. As I got to the end, I saw Kankuro bent over his bench, a chisel in hand.

"What do you want? I'm not hungry, Temari," he said without looking back.

"I'm not Temari," I said with a sigh.

"Fuck!" He swore as he cut his thumb with the blade.

"Sorry," I said as he glared at me.

I handed him a clean rag from beside the stairs. He pressed it to his wound and looked down at his work. The blood had stained a small area of the wood a darker brown.

"Is that a new one?" I took a seat on one of the tables littered with parts.

"Was, now it's junk," he sighed and tossed the torso to the side. "What do you want, Shikamaru?" He began working on a pair of arms.

"What did you tell Gaara?" He paused in his veneering and shrugged his shoulders.

"I told him that I was with a girl all night. He said that I was a pervert. So, nothing out of the ordinary," he smiled over his shoulder.

"He looks good without that paint," I thought as I looked at his smooth skin. "He thinks we were together." He cracked the wood with a hard blow from his chisel.

"..." He slammed his tools onto the table and swung around to face me. "I'm not gay, you're not gay. It's not a big deal. We were drunk, we fooled around-," he was interrupted.

"Fooled around, huh?" In shock, we turned to Temari. "Who was she?" I sighed and ran my hands over my face.

"No one, honey," I said dryly.

"Doesn't sound like it's no one. Who was she, Kankuro? Won't you tell your big sister?" She was so threatening at times.

"Pretty hot," Kankuro said and turned back to his work.

"Pretty hot," she repeated and clenched her fists. "Did you teach him this?" She shouted at Kankuro.

"I didn't teach him anything. He taught himself!" Kankuro shouted back.

"Pretty hot," I thought and shook my head.

"What are you shaking your head for? We're fighting because of you," Temari frowned.

"Women...," I thought and resigned to following her back upstairs. "She was pretty hot," I said loud enough so that Kankuro would hear.

"We'll see about that!" Apparently, Temari had heard me too.

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_Author Rant_

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_This is a humorous and kind of romantic fic based off a random thought I got while watching television. What's better to write about than married life? This story is actually just a side project for the major KankuroxOCxSasori story that I'm working on. I cannot promise fast updates. I am writing this as I go along._

_Next Chapter: **Bondage**_

**_I shall be changing the rating on this story. I like to describe a little bit too much for Teen. It does not mean I write smut! Amikotsu supports smut, but does not spread it. _**

_Reviews are loverly!_

_I'd like to thank **Raine** for reviewing!_

_Ja ne._


	4. Bondage

**Disclaimer: **I am a poor college student. I only own my OC(s) and the twists and turns along the way. :(

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**_Bondage_**

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I couldn't even piss in peace. I turned away as Temari walked in to wash her face. Her eyes didn't stray from her reflection.

"This weather," she whispered as she touched her cheeks and pouted her lips. "My skin is still too dry," she frowned and waited for my opinion.

I tugged my boxers up and flushed the toilet. She insisted on bothering me about the dumbest of things.

"Have you tried lotion?" Her upper lip twitched as her expression darkened. "You look fine," I said and tried to leave.

"Just fine, not pretty," I heard her whisper.

So, it was about the imaginary girl I was with last night. Sighing, I turned around and tried to think of some way to comfort her.

"Maybe I don't want pretty," I said as Kankuro's image appeared in my mind.

"All men care about are looks. Is it my thighs?" My eyes widened as she began to pull up her kimono.

"Temari, get changed and come to bed," I said calmly as I touched her shoulder.

"Thanks," she said with a small smile.

"Finally, I did something right," I thought as I went into the dark bedroom.

A few minutes later, the bathroom light went out. The mattress shifted slightly as Temari got into bed, and I felt a rush of cool air as she slid under the sheets. She stayed on her side of the bed. I stayed on my side of the bed.

"Shikamaru, have you ever thought about...doing it?" I began choking and had to sit up to breathe. "I forgot that you were a virgin," she smiled slyly and patted me on the back.

"Why are you thinking about that?" I had been with Kankuro, didn't that count?

"Well, even Hinata and Naruto do it. We've been engaged for months, but you haven't touched me at all." Oh, God, the watery eyes.

"I didn't know you wanted me to touch you, Temari," I said as she crossed the imaginary line on the bed.

"So, you do want to do it?" She was smiling in a seductive way that made my cheeks burn at the thought of what she wanted to do.

"Shouldn't we wait?" I put my hands up as her hands rested on my bare chest.

"I don't mind," she said as she straddled me.

That moment was one of the most awkward moments in my life. It ranked up there with waking up next to Kankuro.

"Kiss me," she said as her hot breath played on my cheek.

"Can we do this another night? How troublesome...," I asked and muttered the last part.

My eyes widened as she pressed her lips against mine. She tasted like mint. I rested my hands on her hips as she ground her hips against my own.

"...!" I moaned and watched in awe as she removed her top.

Kankuro was right. I wasn't gay. If I were gay, I wouldn't have reacted the way I did, right? I couldn't explain why I thought of him as Temari and I made love.

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_Author Rant_

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_I really enjoy writing from a guy's POV, especially from Shikamaru's POV. He is funny. Very funny. :)_

_It's getting close to the point where I sort of stopped writing. I will try to write on the story whenever I can, but, like I said, it is a side project. I always seem to be writing more stories than I can handle. I have five. I know, that is bad._

_Next Chapter: **Privacy**_

**_A day of shopping. An interrupted shower. Shikamaru never gets a break._**

_Reviews are loverly!_

_Ja ne._


	5. Privacy

**Disclaimer: I only own my OC(s) and the twists and turns along the way.**

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**_Privacy_**

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I groaned as I sat up. Leaning on my elbows, I surveyed the room. My boxers were on the floor beside the bed, and I noticed the pajama bottoms and top on the other side of the bed.

"Are you going to the tailor looking like that?" Temari said as she entered wearing a dark blue kimono.

"Tailor?" I scratched my head and patted my messy hair down.

"You're going shopping for tuxedos?" She handed me a tray with a bowl of oatmeal on it.

Two things were very bad at that moment. One, Temari couldn't cook. Two, I would be shopping alone with Kankuro.

I tried to pull the blankets over my head and feign sleep, but Temari tugged them off the bed. Covering myself, I glared at her.

"Who cooked this?" I asked as she drew me a bath. "Why are you being so nice?" Her eyes wandered southward, and I hid myself beneath one of the discarded sheets.

"Koito cooked breakfast. She dropped by to ask Kankuro about his time at the bachelor party," Temari said as I walked past her and into the bathroom. "And as for being nice, can't I do something for my future husband?"

At that moment, I realized something very important. Sex could get me pretty much anything I wanted. It turned overbearing, loud Temari into the perfect, obedient wife. Were all women like her after a night of sex?

"What are you looking at?" She flicked me in the forehead.

"..." Perhaps I was wrong.

As I settled into the water, I heard the bedroom door open and close. Finally, I was alone. I wondered what my friends were doing in Konoha.

"I have to use the bathroom. You'd better be decent, Temari!" I jumped as Kankuro burst in. "Oh, it's only you," Kankuro said as he snickered at the bubbles in the tub.

"Kankuro," I replied with a sigh.

"I heard she banged you," Kankuro said as he proceeded to lift the toilet lid.

"Banged me? What the hell are you doing? Get out!" I shouted as he sighed in relief.

"Relax, it's not like you haven't seen it before." I blushed as he looked over at me, and the humor left his eyes. "Have you been having...weird thoughts?"

"Weird thoughts? No," I lied in my lazy tone.

"Yeah, me neither." He flushed the toilet, but he just lowered the lid and took a seat.

"Do you get some pleasure out of watching me bathe?" I lowered the bar of soap from my arm and gave him a blank look.

"It keeps me away from Koito. She's been asking for the name of the girl I slept with," Kankuro laughed.

"You shouldn't wear all that paint..." I said as I rested my arms on the sides of the tub.

"You shouldn't be so damn lazy," Kankuro retorted with a grin.

"You're lazy, too," I said as he stood.

"I'm also a drunk, remember?" I remembered.

"Kankuro?!" Koito knocked on the door.

I looked over at him. I could have given him away. I should have kicked him out when he barged in.

"No," I replied and sighed.

"Oh, sorry, Shika-kun!" Koito said brightly. "If you see him, tell him that I want to speak with him." The tone of her voice made Kankuro shudder.

"I'd rather lie and tell her I'm gay than give her the name of some girl in Suna," Kankuro said and laughed.

"She's gone; get out." I pulled the shower curtain closed, something I could have done from the beginning.

"Sure you don't want me to stay?" I sighed as he laughed at his own words.

When the door closed, I finished my bath and drained the water. If he had stayed...

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_Author Rant_

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_First off, I put up the introduction for my new story, the sequel to **Kaminari**; it is called **Inazuma**. I do love writing this story as kind of a break, so I will remain loyal to the few readers that do enjoy this fic. Kankuro and Shikamaru are so funny together. :)_

_Next Chapter: **Purpose**_

**_The tailor causes some problems. Does Temari have Shikamaru whipped? Sake is a drug._**

_Reviews are loverly!_

_Ja ne._


	6. Purpose

**Disclaimer: I only own my OC(s) and the twists and turns along the way.**

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**_Purpose_**

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My arms drooped from being held out for so long. The tailor delivered a sharp slap to my shoulder with his lovely ruler. I bit my lip to keep myself from snapping at him.

Kankuro was watching from his wooden chair, a smug smile on his face. The tailor had been working on my suit for nearly forty-five minutes, he had yet to begin on Kankuro.

"That should be-." He didn't get to finish before I dropped my arms. "You are very lazy, aren't you?" He straightened his spectacles and motioned for Kankuro to step onto the small stool. Kankuro and I changed seats, and he handed me the bag of chips he had been working on. Barbeque—it reminded me of Chouji.

I plucked a chip from the bag and bit into it. He smiled when he heard the _crunch_ of the potato chip between my teeth. He held his arms out for the tailor.

"This clothing is very bulky. Don't tell me you're that chubby," the tailor glanced up at Kankuro and tugged on the large shirt.

"I like my clothes to be baggy," Kankuro said with an annoyed smirk.

"You'll have to take them off," the tailor sighed.

"W-what?" I flushed as the tailor and Kankuro looked at me. "Can't you just stick the ruler up his damn sleeve?" Kankuro laughed as the tailor insulted me.

Kankuro muttered about the sacrifices he made for Temari, and then he slipped his shirt over his head. I noticed that I was holding the bag of chips a little too tightly, and I quickly put another chip into my mouth.

"The pants, sir," the tailor frowned and tapped his foot.

Kankuro held my gaze as he stripped down to his boxers. His boxers were of a light gray hue, but I wasn't staring.

"That wasn't so hard, was it? Easy measurements! I'll be right back," the tailor smiled and whisked out of the room.

"Took him forty-five minutes for me," I said angrily.

"You weren't half-naked," Kankuro said as he collected his clothes.

The muscles in his back flexed as he picked up his shirt. For living in the desert, his skin was pale. He wasn't as pale as Gaara, but he wasn't as dark as Temari.

"Why are you staring at me?" He sighed and slid his arms through the sleeves of his shirt before sliding it over his head.

"I was eating a chip," I lied and crunched on another barbeque potato chip.

"Listen, I-." Kankuro didn't get to finish.

"The suits should be ready in a week." The tailor swept into the room as if nothing had been going on.

As I looked back over at Kankuro, I saw that he was fully clothed. Sighing, I tossed him the half-eaten bag of chips and led the way out of the small shop.

"Now what?" I kicked my feet along the sand road.

"Want to get a drink?" Kankuro jabbed a thumb in the direction of a shady pub.

"No. Remember what happened last time," I smirked and turned to head back to Temari.

"Come on, I'm not going back to Koito. She'll just bitch about how I treat her like a housewife," Kankuro said as he slid his arm over my shoulders in a friendly fashion.

"She does all your laundry, she cooks all your meals, she gives you sex on command, and she draws your baths..." Her shrugged as if it were all nothing.

The hostess of the pub took us to a table in one of the corners. Even though it was four in the afternoon, people were already wasted and grinding on the dance floor. Kankuro ordered four bottles of sake.

"I should get back to Temari," I sighed and attempted to slide out of the booth.

"So, you let her whip you, is that it?" I stopped and glowered at him.

When the sake arrived, I took claims on two of the bottles. Taking a swig of the alcohol, I coughed as it burned my throat. Kankuro laughed at my inexperienced drinking, and he demonstrated how to drink it the right way.

Suddenly, everything lightened. Everything was funny. Women were jokes. The wedding was nothing. In that haze, we went out onto the dance floor with two pretty redheads.

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_Author Rant_

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_I have one more chapter completely finished after this, and then I have to write the rest. I've been having some trouble staying focused on this story, but it's only a temporary thing. I do get distracted easily. Haha._

_I had to include the bag of chips, mostly because people remember their friends in the smallest of gestures. That bag of chips symbolizes Shikamaru's childhood and all the hardships he went through to be a shinobi. And to think, some people assumed the chips weren't important._

_Next Chapter: **Euphoria**_

**_Who is Sumi? Shikamaru makes the mistake of listening to Kankuro. Someone has hard evidence on the two._**

_Reviews are loverly!_

_Ja ne._


	7. Euphoria

**Disclaimer: I only own my OC(s) and the twists and turns along the way. I wish I owned more... **

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**_Euphoria_**

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My head was pounding, but I was still laughing at a joke that Kankuro told ten minutes ago. He had his hands all over his redhead, but I didn't touch my dance partner—she was doing enough groping for the both of us.

"Let's get out of here," Kankuro grinned, his breath stinking of sake.

Vaguely, I heard the redhead before me telling me that her name was...Sumi? I wasn't sure what she was saying. We ended up in one of the many Suna apartment buildings.

Sumi, if it was her name, shoved me onto the bed and began a little striptease. I gasped and stared down at her hand on my bare chest. When had I lost my shirt?

"...!" I heard Kankuro groaning and I heard some girl screaming in...pleasure?

Dazed, I watched as Sumi slid my pants and boxers over my hips. I knew it wasn't supposed to happen. I tried to sit up, but her soothing voice made me lie back down.

When her hand grasped me, I shoved her off the bed. My head was spinning, and I didn't want her. I heard the other girl cursing and complaining, and then I heard Kankuro shouting. I felt like puking.

"You okay?" Kankuro took a seat beside me on the bed.

"My head is killing me," I hissed and glared at the wall as a door slammed. "Where the hell are we?" I was still tipsy, but I was coherent.

"Koito's apartment." For some reason, we both began chuckling at that.

I covered his mouth with my hand, and then I covered his lips with my own. The kiss was sloppy, but full of passion. It was like no time had passed from the bachelor party. There was no mistake.

I knew it wasn't Temari. It felt better than being with Temari. He hit a sweet spot that I didn't even know existed. I grabbed his arms as if I were free-falling. His thrusts grew harder until I screamed in pleasure.

—

It was still dark outside when Kankuro and I stumbled out of the apartment building. We were supporting each other as best we could, laughing all the while. My fingers brushed against his cheek; his hand grabbed my ass.

"Where were y—were you with him, Kankuro?" Temari couldn't assault me as I entered the tower.

"I was **with** him,...I was in him," Kankuro laughed at his dirty joke.

"Shut up, fool," Koito frowned and smacked him in the head.

"We were out for a few drinks," I said as I faked a sober air.

"Oh," Temari said as her expression softened. "Let's go to bed," she said with a secret look.

"I'll stay down here for a little while longer," I said and watched Kankuro and Koito hurl insults back and forth.

"..." Temari gave me a questioning look, but she gave up in the end.

"Nice one," I frowned after the two women left.

"I told the truth, they didn't believe me," he laughed and put his hand on my thigh.

"Come on, not here," I sighed and pushed his hand away.

"Right, we're more hotel rooms and my girlfriend's apartment." I couldn't help but laugh with him on that one.

I kissed him, my tongue brushing against his own. We sprung apart as the light came on. Gaara smiled a knowing smile.

"You scared the shit out of us!" Kankuro shouted and took a few deep breaths.

"So, you saw us," I said as my eyes met his.

"I don't think I'll be missing the wedding anymore," Gaara said as his expression turned to one of passivity.

"I can't cancel the wedding without a reason," I smirked.

"He's sitting right next to you." Gaara flipped the light back off and went upstairs to bed.

"You aren't going to cancel the wedding just because we fooled around, are you?" Kankuro was holding his head in his hands.

"It was harmless," I said with a shrug.

"Exactly," he agreed as his drunken grin returned. "He's enough to sober any man." We laughed again.

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_Author Rant_

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_I am ashamed to admit that I completely forgot about posting this part; however, I am happy to say that I wrote another chapter after this one. It is long, so I hope people enjoy long chapters. I could imagine someone doing the same thing that Kankuro and Shikamaru are doing. After all, marriages are confusing little things._

_Next Chapter: **A Different Path**_

**_A trip to Konoha is exactly what the doctor ordered. What new surprises are coming to light? Naruto gives Shikamaru some important information._**

_Reviews are loverly!_

_Ja ne._


	8. A Different Path

**Disclaimer: I only own my OC(s) and the twists and turns along the way. Some day, I may be lucky enough to own more.**

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**_A Different Path_**

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The wedding was a month and a half away. Nothing would go wrong. Temari and I would stand at the end of the aisle and exchange the two words that would bring us together until death parted us. I was happy. She wasn't that controlling. She loved me. I loved her.

"Shikamaru!" I sighed and trudged forward along the crowded streets. "What do you think of that dress?" Temari pointed into a shop window at the most expensive gown they had. "You know how much I hate dressing up, but it isn't bad," she said as a smile graced her lips.

My arms were going numb from carrying all of her bags, but I managed to shove my hands into my pockets. I hated shopping, especially when the trip was made with a woman—women were frivolous. I was glad Temari at least agreed to spend some time in Konoha with my family, my mother was getting restless. A restless mother was not good for me.

"It's expensive." Temari gave me a hard look and I sighed. "It's...nice," I tried again.

"Nice?" Temari looked a little offended, but she let it slide.

"I thought you were going to wait to go dress shopping. The wedding is a month and a half away," I said in a bored tone.

"Gaara said the tuxedos came in last night." I glanced over at her as she moved on to the other window of the shop.

"The tailor did say a week." I yawned and stared up at the clouds.

Suddenly, someone attacked me from behind and I stumbled forward. I grabbed the bags before they could hit the ground. How troublesome.

"I thought you were going to stay in Sunagakure!" Naruto grinned as he watched me recover from his little charade.

"My mother wanted to spend some time with us." I looked over and saw that Temari had met up with Ino and was talking rather animatedly about something.

"What's up with those two? Don't they hate each other?" Naruto asked in a lowered tone.

"I thought so, that's why I told Temari that I wanted her as her maid of honor. What a drag...," I said as I watched them laughing together.

"The invites were nice. Hinata framed ours," Naruto said as he offered to carry some bags.

I stared at him before handing him an armful of bags to carry. Temari and I hadn't discussed invitations yet, but I wasn't surprised that she didn't consult me. Every time she asked me something, I just nodded—weddings were such a hassle.

"So you decided to move it up. Are you two that in love?" Naruto snickered.

"What are you talking about, you idiot?" I asked as we slowly walked away from Temari and Ino.

"You don't know when your own wedding is?!" Naruto dropped the bags and pointed at me; I was sure I heard something break.

"A month and a half from now," I said in annoyance and grabbed the discarded bags.

"Shikamaru, your wedding is two weeks away!" Naruto exclaimed and attracted everyone's attention.

"Keep it down!" I shushed him and looked around at the dispersing crowd. "Two weeks? Maybe it was a misprint." So that was why Temari changed the subject when I mentioned the date of the wedding.

We changed the subject after that outburst of his. He wondered why Gaara didn't accompany Temari, Kankuro, and I to Konoha, which was a rather stupid question in my opinion. Gaara was the Kazekage, he had a lot of important things to do—like the piles of paperwork he liked to avoid.

"Tomorrow morning!" Temari called to a retreating Ino. "Hey, Naruto," Temari greeted him politely.

"Hey, Temari. I'll see you two later, Hinata has this family meal thing going on tonight. Neji and I were trying to get out of town before it was too late. Good luck with the wedding plans," Naruto grinned and jogged off to meet Neji.

I watched him jog away, hoping that Temari would assume I was deep in thought. She slapped me on the arm to get my attention.

"Let's go back to the apartment, I can reheat the leftovers for dinner," Temari said as she linked arms with me.

"..." I sighed in defeat.

I did not understand why some women were the way they were. My father was in the same predicament, and my guess was that he got tired of trying to run away and decided to just submit. I was lazy, that was obvious enough, but I didn't want to submit. I didn't want to be in a relationship with someone that controlled everything I did. And that was where I became confused. Was I going into that type of relationship? Was I really being the man in the situation?

After reaching our temporary apartment, I dumped the bags by the door and collapsed onto the couch. Four hours of looking around for a cake, a wedding dress, and a few more decorations for the wedding. Then there was the jewelry store, because Gaara suggested we find a special gemstone instead of settling for the jewelry in Suna. Finally, there was an hour wasted on deciding which napkins matched the tablecloths best—yellow or daisy. What was the difference between yellow and daisy?! They were both yellow!

"Temari, we need to talk," I got up the courage to say after she'd set the table.

"I know," she said and sat down beside me on the couch.

"I was thinking about the wedding date. Maybe it's too-," I was interrupted by her.

"I knew you felt the same, that's why I had it moved up. There was an opening at a church here, and your mother agreed that it was a good idea. She said you'd love it," Temari said with a smile.

"Moved it up?" I asked with wide eyes.

"It's two weeks away, and I'm having the tuxedos sent in as soon as possible. Isn't it great? Now Gaara can come to the wedding!" Temari was not usually a peppy person, so she remained calm even though she was telling me such important information.

"Gaara,...great. W-why didn't you tell me you were changing the date of our wedding? Why did you change the date at all?" I covered my face with my hands and rested my head on the back of the couch.

"Shikamaru...," Temari began hesitantly.

I sat up and stared at her. Temari never hesitated. She was bold and overbearing, not submissive or scared. Did someone else push her to move the wedding date? I began wondering if Ino was secretly to blame for all of my troubles. Ino and I did not get along at all.

"I'm pregnant." The door opened and I looked over at the distraction—Kankuro was home.

"How did this happen?" I looked back at Temari with a lopsided smile.

"..." She gave me a hard look, but I didn't give in.

"What's going on?" Kankuro slid into a chair and looked between the two of us.

"I just told him the good news," Temari said as Kankuro grabbed some fruit from the table.

"About the wedding?" Kankuro bit into the apple and gave me a secret grin.

"No, I told him I was pregnant." Kankuro began choking on his apple, and he let the bitten fruit roll onto the floor.

"What the hell?!" Kankuro sputtered after recovering.

"Shouldn't you have told me sooner?" I asked and imagined myself at forty years old being controlled by my wife and pitied by my son or daughter.

"I was going to wait until Gaara arrived so we could all go out," Temari said with a shrug. "Aren't you happy? You'll be a father," Temari said and laughed at the thought of it.

"Should we get rid of it?" Kankuro gave me a look after I asked the question, and I wondered if I was wrong for speaking.

"You mean give it up for adoption?" Temari seemed to consider the idea.

"I mean...maybe having an abortion?" She hit me on the head with her shaking fist.

"That isn't funny." She gave me another hard look and went to retrieve dinner.

"I don't want to go through with this," I said after the door to the kitchen had swung shut.

"Pregnant? You knocked my sister up?" Kankuro shook his head, still in shock.

"Kankuro, I'm getting married in two weeks. I'm going to be a father. I'm eighteen years old, I'm too young for this. This is troublesome, very troublesome." I looked down as Kankuro grabbed my hand.

"You know what you need," Kankuro grinned as he pulled me to my feet.

"A two-year mission?" I did not want to face Temari.

"A drink." I gave him a small smile and allowed him to steer me towards the door. "Temari, we're going out to celebrate!" Kankuro announced so she'd hear him.

"That's more like it," Temari said as she gave us an approving nod. "Be home by eleven, you have things to do tomorrow, Shikamaru!"

I sighed as Kankuro closed the door behind us. It was chilly outside, yet the sun had only set an hour earlier. Temari gave me a curfew as if I were her child—a responsibility she had to continuously overlook. I wasn't going to wander off and get picked up by some child abductor. I was a grown man.

"Didn't you use protection?" Kankuro wasn't going to let the subject go.

"She said she was...she said she had it covered," I answered as my cheeks flushed.

"Ever wonder if she conspired to get pregnant to keep you in the relationship?" Kankuro burst into laughter when I began to consider his words. "I was only kidding. You know Temari isn't fond of kids. I don't know if I feel more sorry for you or for your kid."

"I don't want to go through with it," I said for the second time that evening.

"You love her," Kankuro said as we strolled down the street.

"That's what everyone tells me." He put an arm around my shoulder and I slid my fingers into his pocket.

If someone saw us, there would be no explanations we could give as to why we were so close. I was stuck in a troublesome relationship that everyone imagined was perfect. Kankuro had his girlfriend, but she was just as bad as Temari. It was no surprise that he liked to go out sometimes and get wasted. I was sure that I'd fall into the same routine if I didn't find an escape.

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_Author Rant_

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_The idea for this chapter actually came to me in a dream. The chapter was obviously very sad for Shikamaru, since Temari's announcement makes it even harder for him to sort out the mess that is his love life. _

_Is he really in love with Temari, or is he just listening to the crowd? He's going to be a father?! Why isn't anyone really consulting him about his future? More importantly, when will Shikamaru and Kankuro realize that maybe the escape they both need can be found in each other's arms?_

_Next Chapter**: ---**_

**_I haven't written the next chapter yet. Hopefully, I find some more inspiration._**

_Reviews are loverly!_

_Ja ne._

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	9. In Your Arms

**Disclaimer: I only own my OC(s) and the twists and turns along the way.**

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**_In Your Arms_**

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Sitting alone at a table in the back of the dark bar, I ran my finger along the edge of my empty shot glass. I wasn't completely gone, but that's what I was going for. I would be carefree. I couldn't be carefree as a sober man, that was brought to light earlier in the evening.

I glanced up and squinted my eyes as I read the time from the illuminated clock on the wall. I had broken Temari's curfew, yet no one had punished me. It was around one in the morning, but it could have been two—the hour hand wouldn't stop moving.

"Do you need another drink, sir?" I looked up at the blonde standing over me.

"Yeah," I sighed and shoved the glass towards her. "Just bring me sake; I didn't like draft, and that liquor..." I didn't need to finish, the girl was smart enough to understand that I wasn't drunk enough.

Kankuro had a few drinks with me, but he was looking for companionship. I sat up in the booth to see if I could spot him. He was around the pool table with a bunch of older guys, and I thought I saw him slap some money on his shot. I figured we'd be wasted together, but no such luck for Shikamaru.

"A young woman called for you," the blonde said as she returned with a clay container of sake, "did you want the message?"

Everyone knew me in Konoha. I couldn't hide. I ran my hands over my face to try and get control over my sudden urge to collapse on the floor. Couldn't Temari give me some time? I was only over her curfew by—hell, I forgot what time it was.

"What was her message?" I just took a large drink from the pitcher itself, reveling in the feeling as it burned my throat.

"It was a young woman named Temari. She said that you need to find your way home, or she'll pick you up herself. She seemed rather nice after she stopped shouting profanities. Is she a friend of yours?" The blonde was looking right at the engagement band on my ring finger.

"Thanks for the message. I should be done with this soon enough." I ignored her flirting and waved the clay pitcher at her.

"I made a lot of cash off those old men. You want to try your luck?" Kankuro asked as he slid in the booth across from me.

I mustered a heated glare and took another swig of sake. No escape. No man would leave a woman when she was pregnant with his child, not in the Nara family, at least. Konoha frowns upon children born outside of wedlock. I'd be dooming the kid before it even came into the world.

My thoughts ended when I realized someone had a hold on my wrist. I wasn't able to take another drink of the fiery substance. I couldn't dull the thoughts.

"Don't you think you've had enough?" Kankuro had a lot of nerve bringing up my drinking when he was one of the biggest alcoholics in Sunagakure.

"The thoughts keep coming. You aren't helping," I muttered, my voice slightly slurred.

"Drinking this," he said and took a drink, "isn't going to dull thoughts for someone like you. It'll leave you pretty bad, but not brain dead."

"She knows we're here. Temari called and said she'd come to get me if I didn't get home." I laughed after I told him, and he frowned at me.

"Maybe taking you out for a drink was a bad idea. I didn't know you'd drink yourself crazy," Kankuro sighed as he eased the sake away from me.

"I should just leave Konoha. I could take refuge in one of the ally villages. I could have a message sent to Tsunade-." Kankuro put a hand over my mouth and ended my jumbled planning.

"I know you don't want this, but she's having your kid, Shikamaru. You can't just run away from this," Kankuro said as he moved his hand away.

"Fine, but I'm not going back there. I don't want to see her," I grumbled as I got out of the booth.

All eyes were on me as I struggled to keep my balance. I grabbed the edge of the table to stop the world from spinning. I felt even worse, and having everyone looking at me wasn't helping. I didn't know it, but they were wondering what had happened to cloud-watching Shikamaru. I wondered the same thing.

"We can't go back there," Kankuro said as he supported most of my weight.

I winced as I heard the door to the bar slam closed behind us. My arm was around Kankuro's shoulders, and his arm was around my waist. Hadn't we done this before? Didn't we already know how bad alcohol was when it came to problem-solving?

"No!" I planted my feet and fell to my hands and knees.

He was leading me right back to Temari. Everything was moving so fast. I began to question if anything were real. I reached out to touch his face as he bent down next to me, but I never made it that far. I grabbed my stomach and vomited into the weeds.

My whole body lurched as I heaved, and I saw myself like that. I saw myself as that alcoholic husband—loud, bitter wife; sad, suicidal little girl or boy. I didn't want that. I wanted to lie in the grass and fall asleep while watching the clouds.

"Come on," Kankuro said as he pulled me to my feet. "Temari's going to kick my ass for letting you get this bad. Look, if I get a hotel room, are you going to think of something to tell her in the morning?" In my haze, I nodded at his words. "I know what you're going through. I got a girl pregnant when I was fourteen. Temari twisted my arm to marry her, and I was going to, but she lost the baby. Then, I guess she lost herself. I'm not going to twist your arm, Shikamaru. You're a smart guy, you'll do what's right."

That was what I had wanted to hear. Maybe he was implying that I should marry Temari, but it was still so open-ended. I wasn't going to marry her, but I wouldn't hurt her either. I would tell her when I saw her the next day.

As a Genin, I had made it clear that I wanted a wife and kids, but I didn't see Temari as that woman. Looking around at my life, I didn't see a woman at all. Honestly, I didn't even see that family. I saw Kankuro talking to me about betting on his shots at the pool table. I saw him laughing as he mentioned how he had hit someone with the cue ball. I saw him. Regardless of the child Temari and I had created.

"I need a room." Kankuro noticed that I had gotten quiet, but I hadn't passed out.

"Would you like a double?" The man behind the desk of the mediocre hotel glanced at me with some worry. "Is he going to be all right? Do you need a medic-nin?"

"He'll be just fine when you give us the damn key!" Kankuro was tired of seeing people give a down man that pitied look—he secretly thought I deserved better.

I was able to walk into the room without any assistance, and I locked myself in the bathroom. Using the toothbrush and toothpaste provided, I cleaned myself up. My eyes weren't bloodshot, but they were half-lidded and tired-looking. My lips were paler than usual. Other than that, I was still fine.

As soon as I opened the bathroom, I saw that Kankuro had kicked off his shoes and chosen one of the two beds as his own. Some foreign show played on the television, but I couldn't understand most of what they were saying. It looked to be about children and their digital monster friends. Kankuro looked about as interested in it as I was.

"I'm going to shower. Feel free to try to find something that isn't that," Kankuro said as he sent a glare at the television.

The bathroom door closed with a definite _click_, and I fell back onto my bed with a sigh. All of that alcohol went to waste. I felt sobered, and it annoyed me. Staring up at the ceiling, I noticed that small triangles littered the white background. I guessed that the angles in the triangles were sixty degrees, making them equilateral. I was very bored.

Temari. She was still a problem. She'd always threatened to go after people, so I knew her threat was an empty one. What bothered me is that she actually thought I'd listen to her curfew. I wasn't going to bow down to her, even if I did have feelings for her. Were the feelings strong enough to even be called love? I jumped as the bathroom door opened.

"Did you call her?" I swallowed hard as Kankuro emerged in only a towel.

"Who?" My voice didn't shake, and it sounded uncaring enough to pass as normal.

"Your fiancée, you moron!" Kankuro laughed.

I felt something hot, and I realized that I must have been blushing. A smirk settled onto my face, but the heat wouldn't leave. I was still staring, yet he hadn't pointed that out.

"No," he frowned and walked for his clothes.

"I didn't ask a question," I said as I sat up.

"You didn't have to." He cast a glance at me as he headed back towards the bathroom.

"We never said 'I love you' to one another," I found myself saying as I got up.

"What we did was harmless fun," he frowned and stood his ground.

"Yeah, it was." It suddenly felt odd, but not in a bad way. "Just one more time won't hurt," I said with a small smile.

"You're wedding is two weeks away and you want to have sex with me. Isn't that a bit wrong to you?" Kankuro asked as he gave me a disgusted look.

"It's not wrong, I'm not marrying her and the wedding isn't going to happen." His look turned to one of confusion.

"What the hell are you saying?" Kankuro asked in a irate tone.

"I...," I faltered for a moment, but the words suddenly came to mind, "I love you."

I put a hand to my head as the dull throbbing ended. That was what I had been wanting to say. It felt good to say it, but Kankuro had yet to respond. His look was rather calm, more along the lines of passive shock than anything.

"You should get some sleep," he said as he turned and closed the bathroom door.

"I should get some sleep." It was just the reaction I had wanted to hear. Not only did I confess to another man that I had feelings for him, he shot me down. It was embarrassing. It was frustrating.

_And all the while, I thought he felt it too._

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Author Rant

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_**No.** That was what Kankuro said to Shikamaru. The significance of that two letter word is that they both had to be thinking the same thoughts, since neither of them voiced their individual thoughts. That means that they both wanted to...well, you get the picture. _

_Kankuro's reaction to Shikamaru's confession is rather normal. He has his sister to consider. He has his image (as a shinobi, a man, and a relative to the Kazekage) to consider. Also, how could he live with himself if he managed to screw the "major plan" up?_

_Next Chapter: **---**_

**_Still working on it._**

_Reviews are loverly!_

_Ja ne._


	10. Marionette

**Disclaimer: I only own my OC(s) and the twists and turns along the way.**

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**_Marionette_**

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The wedding was to be in five days. After my drunken night out, Temari had given me one of her speeches and a slap on the wrist—I just stood there and took it. I hadn't seen Kankuro since that night at the hotel. I didn't regret saying what I said, not after some thought.

I sat on the stairs outside of the apartment building and lit a cigarette. Temari wanted me to kick the old habit that I'd picked up from my late Sensei. I didn't want to, so I smoked far away from her. My games of logic were lost when I went to Sunagakure—no one had time for petty games. That's what all my hobbies seemed to be to Temari. Petty.

"I brought you by some fruit salad," my father greeted me, a plastic container in hand.

"Temari's upstairs," I answered in a bored tone.

"For someone marrying the love of his life, you don't look very happy." He sat the bowl down and took a seat next to me.

"She wasn't the person I thought she was," I sighed and flicked my ashes to the wind.

"Your mother wasn't the woman I thought she was either," he admitted with a chuckle. "I can't say that we always agree, but I'm glad to have her. Hell, I got a genius out of it," he said and nudged me in the side.

"Would you marry her again?" I took a long drag off the cancer stick and stared off down the busy street.

"Sometimes, I think that I wouldn't. Don't ever tell her that," he said in a serious tone.

"I don't love Temari, Dad," I said as I looked over at him.

"I figured you were having second thoughts. That's why I offered to bring the fruit salad over," he said with a smile.

"I love Kankuro." His smile faded and he sighed.

"We can't help who we love. I know people frown on children outside of wedlock, but you're welcome to stay with your mother and I if you need to get back on your feet. You've always been at least five steps ahead of everyone else. What are thinking now?" I put my cigarette out on the concrete step and got to my feet.

"I think I need to stop being so laid-back, if only for this once," I smiled and took the bowl of fruit salad from his hands.

"I'm going to go console your mother. She wanted to kill you for your drunken performance!" I watched my Dad walking away, and I knew that something good was going to happen.

I kicked open the door to the house as I juggled a handful of mail and a bowl of fruit salad. Gaara and Koito sat on the sofa. It looked like Koito had weaseled Gaara into playing a game of cards.

"Mom made a fruit salad," I said and slid the bowl onto the counter.

"Great. Have you seen Kankuro?" She was trying to read from a cookbook as she shook some seasoning into a boiling pot.

"Not since...no." I hadn't been in the same room with Kankuro since our night at the hotel.

I didn't see a point in calling off the wedding if Kankuro didn't feel the same. Delaying the inevitable was my style—I was a procrastinator of sorts. Since Kankuro hadn't told me his feelings, I couldn't wait any longer.

"We should talk," I sighed and ran my hands over my face.

"Can you catch me at a better time? I'm trying to cook your dinner," Temari snapped and flipped the page of her cookbook.

"Can you leave the stove for five minutes?" I looked over her shoulder and figured the boiling mess could use time away from her constant stirring.

"No, I need to make sure that it's blended right. The book said-," I couldn't take it anymore.

"Forget the damn cookbook! WE NEED TO TALK NOW!" I shouted.

She dropped the spoon she had been using and turned to me in shock. Koito was about to reprimand me for shouting, but Gaara gently shook his head. I didn't want an audience. I wanted to say what I'd needed to say for—well, since the whole engagement process.

"You should get back to Lady Tsunade with her sake, shouldn't you?" Gaara was shoving Koito out the door with the only excuse he came up with.

"Did you have to embarrass us like that? What is so important that it couldn't wait, Shikamaru?!" Temari frowned and tapped her foot.

"I can't marry you." As those words left my mouth, I no longer felt as if I were drowning.

"Now you're getting cold feet. Can I console you later?" She went from being pissed off to being flirtatious.

I moved as she tried to embrace me. If she touched me, I'd have had second thoughts. I didn't want to end up trapped, like some caged animal. I was a grown man, and I was breaking my second heart in less than a month. The first, of course, came when Kankuro flat out rejected me.

"We have the place booked, we have the decorations, the clothing, the vows...," Temari rambled with a broken expression on her face. "Why are you doing this? Why now?!" Temari was crying—it was the first time I'd seen her cry, and I had caused it.

"Because he doesn't love you," Gaara spoke as he walked into the kitchen. "Asking him to marry you when he doesn't love you is a little demanding, even for you. He was nice enough to tell you instead of having an affair later down the line. Don't you think you should wipe those tears and finish dinner? It's going to burn." His way with words was a little harsh, but amazing.

"Sometimes, I wonder how I'm related to you...and then you say something like that," Temari smirked and went back to the stove.

I found myself sighing in relief, and Gaara smiled at me as he turned and strode out of the kitchen. Temari may have been overbearing and hostile at times, but she was just like every other human being. She deserved someone that could love her back. Maybe that person would like her sarcastic charm.

"Who is she?" Temari asked as she stirred a pan of noodles.

"What?" She obviously thought I had been cheating on her with another woman.

"You would have married me just for the kid. I know you, Shikamaru. As long as you got to be lazy and had a few nights with the guys, you would have overlooked all our problems. I'll ask you again, who is she?" She had a rather sly smile on her face, and I found myself blushing at her mannerisms.

"There's no girl, Temari," I shrugged and shoved my hands into my pockets.

"Now you're lying to me," she frowned and turned the stove off.

"No. There's no woman in my life, other than you, when we were engaged," I said nonchalantly.

"Just tell me!" She was always curious, it was one of the things I liked about her—her wit, I mean.

"It was Kankuro," I admitted as I looked into her eyes.

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_Author Rant_

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_This turned out to be a rather short story. There is one more chapter after this, and the Epilogue is included at the end of that chapter. I didn't enjoy leaving my readers hanging because of my sudden lack of inspiration, and I think that's why the story ended up being a short one. I really like the Epilogue, and I'm sure others will as well. I'm sorry if people wanted the story to be longer, but I forced myself to at least finish the story._

_Final Chapter: **Bittersweet**_

**_How will Temari react? Does Kankuro ever accept Shikamaru's love? What does the future hold?_**

_Reviews are loverly!_

_Ja ne._


	11. Bittersweet

**Disclaimer: I only own my OC(s) and the twists and turns along the way.**

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**_Bittersweet_**

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She swallowed hard, and she turned to continue preparing dinner. It didn't even seem like she'd heard me, but I know she did. She liked to ignore things when they weren't going her way. It was almost like how she ignored me as she planned our wedding. Her act didn't last.

"Did you...? You slept with him, didn't you?" She gripped the edge of the counter until her knuckles were a milky white.

"Yes," I admitted as calmly as I could.

"When did this start? Why? Are you gay?" I had the urge to just pinch the bridge of my nose and groan, but I didn't.

"It was an accident. We had too much to drink at the bachelor party. And gay?" I didn't know how to answer her last question. "What a drag...," I muttered. "I like men and women."

"Do you love him?" Her expression seemed neutral, but that was probably because she was belittling herself in her thoughts.

"Yes. I loved you too. I guess, somewhere along the line, we just stopped loving one another," I said and helped her place the food onto serving plates.

"Thanks," she said as she led the way to the table. "You are going to help raise this thing," she answered in her old way.

"Thing? At least pick a sex to define the baby." I sighed as she laughed.

"The baby's a girl," Temari said after some thought.

"Why does the baby have to be a girl?" I challenged her.

"Fine, a boy," Temari said as the front door opened.

"Something smells great!" Kankuro went to grab a cherry from the fruit salad, but Temari smacked his hand. "What was that for?" He slid into a chair and rubbed his hand.

"I'll go collect Gaara," Temari sighed and went towards the young Kazekage's room.

I sat down across from Kankuro. At first, neither of us even attempted moving or looking around. Eventually, his stomach growled and we were forced to make our plates. His hand brushed against mine as we went for the teriyaki.

"You told her," Kankuro said as he piled the noodles onto his plate.

"I told you I would," I frowned and opted for a steamed dumpling.

We ate in silence. My chair creaked as I reached for my cup. Glancing over the rim as I took a drink, I noticed that Kankuro had a nice handprint on his right cheek. I laughed.

"What the hell!" Kankuro shouted as he tried to hide the mark.

"What happened to you?" For a change, he was blushing out of embarrassment.

"I mentioned a few things to Koito. We traded insults, death wishes, and a few jutsus. In the end, she slapped me and declared she was going back to Suna," Kankuro said with a straight face.

"Sounds like Koito," I said and took another bite of food.

"About that night at the hotel, I—you caught me off guard," Kankuro said as he stared down at his plate.

"You don't have to explain. I said what I needed to say." I shrugged and got up to refill my cup.

He grabbed my hand, "no, I need to say something, all right? I was wrong about our actions being harmless. I guess I want to apologize for screwing up your chances at marriage."

"It was screwed up long before our actions," I said with a chuckle.

"Would you let me finish?" Kankuro looked pretty pissed off, so I nodded for him to continue. "I am sorry for screwing up your future, but—. Did you mean what you said at the hotel? Do you love me?" He looked uncomfortable.

"I was drunk at the time, but I meant what I said. I love you. We established that," I said and found myself wanting to make him feel comfortable.

"Do you want to be with me?" I let my thoughts of another drink go out the window.

"Kankuro," I sighed as he continued to ramble on.

I kissed him. His rambling was forced to an end as he responded to the heated kiss. I knew what he was trying to say. He'd wanted to tell me his feelings for me, but he didn't have the courage. I admit that alcohol was good when it came to giving a man courage.

"Not at the table," Gaara interrupted.

"I don't care if I do okay this, that was disgusting. Wipe the drool off your chin, Kankuro," Temari said smartly as she took the remaining seat.

"_Ai shiteru_." His words were low, but I'd heard them.

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_**Epilogue**_

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Sitting there, surrounded by the people that I cared for, I began to wonder about my old academy friends. Nothing in life was as solid as the bonds between human beings, yet, at the same time, nothing was as fragile and fleeing. I wanted to believe that what I had with Kankuro was strong enough to survive. Just that small want, that wish, was enough to make it solid.

Not nine months later, I was a dad. Like I'd said, the child was a boy. He was rather small and he refused to open his eyes for three whole days. Kankuro told me that the kid was as lazy as I was. I agreed. We decided on a name for the brown-haired, blue-eyed boy—Yukimura.

Times continued to change, and the peaceful state between the lands crumbled fast. The year Yukimura turned four, Sunagakure and Konohagakure entered a bloody war with Iwagakure and Kumogakure. Gaara had tried to keep Kankuro from seeing battle, but he had to send Kankuro to the weakened front lines. On Yukimura's birthday, Temari and I received news that Kankuro had been killed.

The Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto, tried to keep the fighting from the country. But again, things fell where they fell. I had to fight alongside some of my old academy companions for the right to call Konoha home. By that battle's end, Konoha was secured; I had to be taken by a medic-nin to the hospital. A kunai had all but shattered my kneecap. I was twenty-three years old.

Sunagakure was not as lucky. The Kazekage, Gaara, had won the village from the enemy Iwa nin, but the battle that took place lasted for weeks, and many civilians died. I was allowed to leave Konoha and travel with a supply line to the village of Sunagakure, but I didn't get there in time. Among the dead was my son. Temari had pleaded for his life, but the enemies weren't humane enough to spare him. Yukimura was only four years old when he died.

I had Kankuro and Yukimura buried on the hill that I used to frequent during my cloud-watching days. When the funeral was over, I lay between the two graves—a spot that would someday house my remains—and stared up at the gray clouds. Clouds did not feel the pain that humans felt, yet they seemed to understand. Kankuro told me that it rarely rained in Sunagakure. I swore the rain was just for him.

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_Author Rant_

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Ai Shiteru _has many different spellings, but it means _'I love you'_. I can understand if people aren't happy with the Epilogue, but they were shinobi. Shinobi face dangers everyday, and life and death situations may not always end well. _

_If anyone has any questions or comments, feel free to send me a message._

_Reviews are loverly!_

_Sayonara._


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